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Stranger Danger? - LippyChick (10th Sep 2004 - 19:04:51) I have a confession to make, and I hope that you will all bear with me. I was not born and brought up in Liphook. It seems that reading some of the threads on this message board that this is something that I should be ashamed of, but am not. I have lived here for over 5 years now, and am almost certainly classified as one of the jonny-come-latelys who has so spoiled the community feel of the village. To those who feel that this is the case, then please let me offer my most sincere apologies. I suspect that I am like many people who have moved here. I have CHOSEN to live here, rather like an adoptive parent has CHOSEN an adopted child. I wanted to bring my children up here because I like it so very much and for this reason, I see it as a responsibility and also a pleasure to give something back to the community. From my work with various organisations around the village I would suggest that I am not alone. Most of the people who worked with me giving up time and skills are also 'newcomers'. Before criticising people who were unfortunate enough not to be born here, perhaps think of them as individuals not as a group. This should not be a 'them and us' situation. We can't make Liphook the size that it once was, and indeed maybe the atmosphere of the place has changed, but I am a little weary of being castigated when I give back plenty to somewhere that I am proud to call my home. I'll climb off my soapbox now, other than to say that if anyone else reading is interested in reviving the summer fete then I'd be delighted to be involved.

Re: Stranger Danger? - Dick (10th Sep 2004 - 19:40:20) Well done "Lippychick", i applaud you and your sentiments. But it does beg the question "Are you one in a thousand". I for one welcome everybody to this village, but does everyone who moves here welcome the village for what it is for and what it once was. I know we move on with the times and things can't stay the same, but should that include the community spirit.?

Re: Stranger Danger? - Eneida Nelson (11th Sep 2004 - 12:44:56) Hi Lippychick! (it would be nice to know your real name) I realise you're being sarcastic, but why on earth should you apologise for not being born and bred in Liphook? Neither was the rest of the world or me or most people on this website I daresay. In fact, if you go back far enough, everybody in England came from somewhere else originally, even Liphookians!! Although I actually do come from (west) Hampshire I left in my early twenties and have lived in most parts of England from Newcastle to Devon and in between. I've come accross this boring 'us and them' attitude in various forms everywhere I've lived with one exception - Surrey. There's been so much migration there over the years they don't care where you've come from - only how much you earn! I dare say this area will go the same way. In any case regional differences seem to be disappearing. Have you noticed how youngsters everywhere now all speak Australian? and isn't it irritating? By the way, what on earth is a "Woolley" that is supposed to be all over Liphook?? I always thought it was a cardigan or sweater but Dick and his pals can't mean that or they would just sound too silly for words?

Re: Stranger Danger? - Dick (11th Sep 2004 - 18:24:43) I don't know what a woolley is either, i was just paraphrasing what someone else had written. I have gone out of my way to make people welcome to this village, it just seems that some of them do not want to be welcomed, they use Liphook as a stopgap address or for ease of commuting to London. Like i have already said, well done Lippychick i applaud you. the more that setlle here like you the better.

Re: Stranger Danger? - Fay (12th Sep 2004 - 17:48:16) I just thought I'd post as one who is in the opposite situation. I spent the first 14 years of my life in Liphook, and I now live in North Somerset, after a family move 13 years ago. As a "virtual" Liphook dweller, I log in here to catch up with the news from what I will always consider to be my home town, wherever I actually dwell in the goegraphical sense. I still have a lot of family in and around Liphook, so it's good to see what's going on in the village. I wonder if there's anyone else like me, who does this? Or am I just a sad observer on a nostalgia kick! :)

Re: Stranger Danger? - Eneida Nelson (14th Sep 2004 - 09:48:03) I'm sorry if I'm about to bore some of you on this website, but I must just say this because I think Dick is being unfair. Don't assume newcomers to Liphook deliberately don't want to be welcomed or get involved with community projects because they don't care about Liphook. Nobody spends thousands of pounds buying a house somewhere they don't want to live or even like!! It might simply be because they're not at all sure their help would be welcomed. I'm sure I'm not the only (female) newcomer who has reason to feel like this.

Re: Stranger Danger? - Freddie Dawkins (14th Sep 2004 - 11:48:47) Hi, Eneida - Just some personal thoughts and observations about this thread: I came to live in Liphook about 11 years ago. Then, it was very different and a much smaller place. But it had chnaged enormously a few years before, when the bypass had opened and relieved a lot of the traffic congestion. Since then, we've had the OSU demolised and replaced with Sainsbury's, the housing associated with it, the Village Green, pond and roadworks etc. So I consider myself very fortunate to have been here when Liphook (to someone coming from London) still had the charm of a quieter, smaller place with a thriving social life. Siince getting involved with the Parish Council, I;'ve been constantly amazed at just how much does go on here. There are so many clubs, societies, activities....you can never be bored in Liphook! But, as someone eho has done all the years of commuting etc, I do know how hard it must be for a lot of the adults to get "connected" to village life. I see people coming back from Waterloo to the station at night, looking tired, stressed etc and walking to their new homes. They probably don't have much energy left to participate in a lot of what's going on during the evenings. In defence of the "old-timers", I've never found anyone in this village unfriendly. By making the effort and joining societies like the Preservation Society and the Horticultural Society, I'm having great fun swapping info and getting involved. It could as easily be Tai Chi at Bohunt or watercolours with the Arts and Crafts folks. So, I think Liphook is STILL a great place to live and I've no intention of moving on. rgds to all here Freddie

Re: Stranger Danger? - Eneida Nelson (15th Sep 2004 - 11:44:28) Hi Freddie, Actually I'm not quite such a stranger to Liphook's development as I've made out, in fact I even played a (very small) part in it! You see, in the mid 1970's I worked for the directors of Berg the builders in Esher, who were building an estate here. Some people might remember them? I can't tell you how many minutes of meetings I typed out about Liphook! My boss and I used to come down quite regularly to check on progress. Even had lunch at the Anchor 30 years ago - now there's a thought! So when we were looking for a house in E. Hants in 2001 I remembered what a nice place it was and here I am. I quite agree with you - it still is a nice place! Eneida

Re: Stranger Danger? - Dick (15th Sep 2004 - 23:30:06) Hi Eneida, It was never my intention to be unfair, but i think i was honest. Fair play to all those have settled in Liphook and taken it to their hearts. But those are the ones that stay for longer than 5 minutes, such as yourself and Freddie. I happen to work in the Removals Business so i know how many come and go, i know how long they have been here and from talking to them, i know that it was never their intention to stay any length of time and or get involved in the community. But as i have said previously, and Freddie intimated, Liphook has moved on, it is no longer the little village. Having said that, it is still a lovely place. Just look at the hard work the "Liphook In Bloom Team" have undertaken over the past 15 years or so, Look at the "Carnival Committee's commitment every year. I have spoken to people who have lived in the village for 5 years and have never seen the carnival let alone participated. As i have said i welcome all, but lets see you...

Re: Stranger Danger? - kc (16th Sep 2004 - 14:08:04) I have been following the comments with interest - I too am one of the woollies (whatever they may be). I moved in to Liphook June 2004, I go to the carnival every year and am looking forward to this years display and also the fireworks which are brilliant for free. I shop in the village as much as possible to keep the local shop keepers going, visit local restaurants pubs etc and love the place. I cannot understand why there are so many negative comments on this site to the new comers. We are all part of the community and should encourage and support one another. Please don't blame local apathy on the all the newcomers. The majority that I have taken the trouble to meet are equally happy to be here so please give us a chance!

Re: Stranger Danger? - dick (16th Sep 2004 - 22:44:50) KC, Well said. I shall shut up now. Oh.. Welcome by the way.

Re: Stranger Danger? - S (17th Sep 2004 - 10:25:22) Woolleys is a scouse term for persons born outside of Liverpool but still support Liverpool FC. Thats not 100% correct explanation but good enough for the purposes of this. Manchester call people that support Man Utd either Surrey or Thai people cos thats where most of their prawn sandwich munchers come from.

Re: Stranger Danger? - Eneida Nelson (17th Sep 2004 - 14:33:26) Thank you S for sharing that information with the rest of us. I'm probably even more confused now...but perhaps it's just me??

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